The Walther LGU Master, a Review.
This comes just in time I hope, before rumors about discontinuation of this gun come true, if at all. Some rumors about limited availability seem to circulate in the USA and the UK. Which are hoped to be completely false !
This review is about Walther's underlever spring-piston rifle, the standard beech stocked LGU with the standard Continental (non metal "tuned") trigger. This one is the .177 / 4.5 mm caliber and 12 FPE or 16 Joules power version.
The overall first impression.
This is very positive, so much so that it could be welcomed, directly into “the mansion's state room"!
Beautiful coloured and nicely grained beech which has a satin coating, with an elegant shape that typically exhibits some German features: Schnabel tip at the fore-end and a high arched, pretty broad "comb" which it is good to lay one's face to rest on. The height of the cheek piece is just above the top line of the stock and seems to fit very well for many types of scopes.
This is a good right-left (ambi) stock with full and deep, vertical pistol grip that has nice chequering for a good grip. The fore end flows long to the forward and is not too narrow, with at the sides useful, very subtly executed finger grooves for the supporting hand.
Nowhere did I find any disturbing sharp edges on the wood, not even in the cocking slot at the fore end nor at the inletting of the trigger guard.
Unfortunately, there is no adjustable butt plate nor a thumb groove on the neck behind the safety to accommodate the "thumb up" shooter.
The weight is considerable and the balance is very forward biased (muzzle heavy). Which seems normal in view of its length.
Finishing is certainly at a high level, especially considering the price.
Metal to wood fit is very nice and I found no lateral play in the cocking handle which was exactly vertically in line with the bore, and hardly any sideways play in the trigger, but some on the safety. Mounting the scope after adjusting the reticle halfways (mechanical center), both for windage and elevation, I was almost on target without additional adjustment to speak of. Excellent alignment of barrel and dove tails, it seems.
A comparison is inevitable.
It's almost impossible not to make a comparison on some points with the HW97K and AA TX200, which is why these competitors are mentioned at several occasions in the description below ....These triplets, after all, are natural competitors in the quality underlever gun segment.
The design of the action and barrel junction is in between that of the Air Arms TX200 (especially the old Mk 1 and 2 versions without the barrel shroud) and the HW97K. It looks like a clone of both, with an English-German merger of the transition from barrel to action tube. The barrel is centrally located in the action as in the TX, but has flared cut-outs at the sides that are very strongly reminiscent of the 97. I've just put the two together in the spring sunlight and it was clearly visible that the polishing and bluing of the Walther is a lot better, almost at the level of the TX, where, however, the bluing surely looks deeper and thicker. Especially the moderator is smooth and blue and although it is made of aluminium, as well as the trigger housing, there is nearly no colour difference between these extreme ends and the steel mid section of barrel and action!
I personally find the much criticized twin large anti-bump rubber rings on the release lever (which by the way do not really touch the barrel with the lever closed) hardly disturbing.
In short, the overall aesthetics of this LGU are quite attractive.
Technology wise.
I have hardly anything new to report: We all know the detailed pictures and even videos about the "Sound of Silence" technology published by the manufacturer. This goes a step beyond the inner technology of the TX and as we know, much, much further than that of the HW.
Yes HW, the gantlet is now really thrown into your smug face and we hope for an adequate and rapid reply to this challenge, even though this would entail a different price level!
Finally, here we now have a factory spring piston rifle incorporating all of the state of the art internals, previously only found at full custom or customized guns ! But we still have to find out if this full production gun is made with components that have tolerances comparable to real custom guns.....Mainspring dimensions and spring guide diameter will not be hand fitted to each individual gun, I'm afraid.
In addition, of course it remains to be seen how the parts, components and materials will pass the test of time and will withstand the inevitable wear and run-in tolerances.
I noticed that in the compression tube hole itself there is no sealing ring where this meets the breech, but that such ring is placed on the breech or barrel extension itself, in a slightly too wide groove that makes it more or less "self-adjusting" or self-centering when closing the cocking lever. At the same time, this wide groove allows the fitting of an oversized i.e. thicker, O-ring, as wear and tear will require over time.
The compression tube outer wall at the front carries an O-ring bearing, just like as the Air Arms Pro-Sport.
Sometimes criticism from the technical community mentions that this rifle is very much "choked" and in the 16 Joules version should have a slightly larger diameter for the transfer port in order to allow the mainspring a longer useful life time at full power. From using this gun up to now I really cannot judge that.
Ergonomics.
The comparison with the TX is not at all far fetched. This already because of its length which is practically identical to that of the TX200 full length rifle and the nearly identical "ant-bear trap" piston safety at the load port.
The scope mounting rails should stretch slightly longer forward to where the LGU logo is (why not use that open space for scope mounting ?), but do not seem to me too short, really.
In the first place I'm happy to see that all screws are of the Allen type. The oddly curved trigger guard (looking like, but not being bent sheet metal !) has two holes at the bottom to give access to adjust the trigger via two set screws.
Without having measured all dimensions, the load port is almost the same, only slightly longer than the TX but just not long enough, unfortunately. That gap could have been even a bit wider to allow easier loading while reaching underneath the longer type of rifle scopes.
The inconvenience of loading with an Elite 4200 scope mounted makes itself felt in the same way as with the TX and the fact that the breech does not have a tapered point of entry, does not help either. Fortunately it is not very difficult to get used to for the TX owner, but it is certainly not much improved. Releasing the cocking lever from its latch is not really very easy, but at the same time it gives confidence in the soundness of the suspension system. The piston safety works better than with the TX (it pivots somewhat easier and sits closer to the port) and the cocking stroke itself does not need to be repeated in order to engage the trigger. With the TX this is unfortunately often the case. The silent cocking method with the piston safety depressed is much easier with the Walther.
The trigger distance to the butt plate and pistol grip is nice and long, better for me than the HW97. The position of the trigger blade is excellent and much better than the TX which is too much raked backwards and seems more fit for sporty elegance; it sits also too close to the grip for me. The pistol grip fills my hand better than both the HW and the TX and is, moreover, placed more upright.
The LGU grip fits me better even without a pronounced palm swell, which I surely missed a bit, but rather the grip is made comfortable through a deeper scalloping to the rear of the grip, which works well for positioning the "mouse" of the thumb, but the wood is thus cut thinner and therefore somewhat vulnerable.
The cocking stroke is not difficult and does not require much force.
The sliding safety switch is exactly in the right place and is light but not too light and also quiet in operation: it can be reset at the safe position without releasing the shot or without de-cocking the gun.
Remarkably, the instruction booklet quite frankly describes how to de-cock the gun without making the shot, something that Air Arms does not do. And which in the 97K is impossible to do due to the built-in anti bear trap, hidden under the stock.
Perhaps the 97K by its nature is more appropriate for hunting or HFT because of a slightly narrower and shorter fore end, apart from the shorter overall length and excellent balance. In terms of overall handling the heavy but compact 97K, even with the heavy laminated stock, feels "faster" and more easy to handle. This to me is really a "first grab rifle" in practice, with a nice weight / balance ratio that you can load without looking or fumbling pellets. The TX for me is more of a luxury horse demanding full and undivided attention; time and again requiring some getting used to.
Wishes for improving the LGU stock? Yes, surely: the thumb shelves left and right, and a wider bottom of the fore end, where the finger grooves run, broadened by 1 cm or so for improved hand hold and stable shooting from a rest. A short panel of chequering in that place would also not hurt. Purely from an aesthetics point of view, I'm actually not much enamoured by the Schnabel tip.
But that trigger !
Unfortunately, and this is the toughest criticism I can come up with, the trigger is not adjustable in terms of the first stage pressure and does not offer enough adjustment in first stage travel. This according to the instruction booklet also applies to the metal “tuning” trigger, but is this correct at all? This “match” trigger blade has two set screws of which one probably serves to regulate the weight of the first stage. My standard plastic trigger is equipped with a nicely wide and smooth trigger blade without serrations, but it does provide an additional opportunity to set the second stage heavier, without it biting your finger.
The trigger mechanism itself will unfortunately require a lot of tinkering before you get a nice creep free break. I hope to find a nice, short and clear breaking point of the second stage, because it took me more than three hours at the TX! And even after much work and fitting a longer screw with rounded polished tip, I cannot exclude that the trigger travel on the LGU does change just a bit between shots ! Which is very, very nasty.
When receiving the gun the first stage was not only very long but also adjusted very light, so much that it hardly returned forward to the starting point when released before touching second stage.The second stage was too heavy for me and now I have it turned out, the first stage is become much longer. So here is still quite some work to do.
In fact, I wonder if it would pay to replace the OEM trigger for a Walther metal "tuning" trigger, but I have a feeling that it will never reach anywhere near the level of the HW Rekord! According to fellow shooters mounting the custom Rowan trigger would solve the problem once and for all, but the price is really steep and the looks of such a match-like contraption carrying that separate adjustable shoe does not do much to complement the gun's overall looks ...
The shot cycle.
This is truly exemplary, as well as the accuracy of the first 26 shots of JSB Exact 4.52 that I unloaded. At 25 meters all shots went into the same hole and at 50 meters indoors I was just not getting 5 shots completely together. A group of 10 shots did however show seven touching each other. Trigger problems are the main cause, I believe. But then, I've been promised better for this rifle, in the sense that it should produce one-holers for ten shots at 50 meters (55 yards).
I am under the impression that the absence of noises at cocking and shooting stands out more than while shooting the TX, not to mention a comparison with the HW. No spring twang, no creaking or squeaking, sharp clicking or any other noise whatsoever, no smells, fumes or dieseling, no rotation twisting and no appreciable recoil. A short, fairly dry "Chokkh" is just about all you hear. Barrel flip is barely noticeable and the damping of the shot noise is just very very good. At least substantially better than the TX200-HC Mark 3, which also makes sense given the latter's shorter barrel.
Compare that to the old fashioned Feldwebel barking of the 97K ! In short, cocking and closing strokes give the same comfortable feeling as the TX200, namely a design immediately inspiring confidence with its sturdiness.
Overall.
Until now, that trigger is my only directly relevant gripe.
You got to love such all up weight of the gun, which I do, but that and the actual front heavy balance will not make this rifle everyone's friend. I happen to like the wide cheek piece and comb and the bulky butt and pistol grip.
However, this rifle, despite its many similarities with the 97 and the TX200 in itself carries enough characteristics to make it desirable for shooters who also own these other weapons. This apart from the internal refinements of the action, which really set it apart from both of its opponents.
I personally would mark it one cut above the TX Mk3 as concerns the shot cycle.
Its action is almost completely ambidextrous, apart from missing a full 180 ° around loading port and a double (!) anti bear trap safety.
Problems and update.
Over time, we got the word about the gun being “over choked” with the transfer port being too narrow. A few tuners have opened it up to 3,5 mm. This should remedy excessive piston bounce and early spring breaking incidents. A few trigger mods have also been published to make the OEM item more like the aftermarket metal trigger in performance. And recently, two UK firms started to market their custom trigger upgrades which are claimed to approach the HW Rekord characteristics. Unfortunately, one of these eliminates the safety function.
Meanwhile, one could wish for an LGU carbine version of just below 39 inches and other (laminated) stock types, perhaps. The Master Pro or the polymer stocked Varmint Thumb Hole version could one time be perfected with an adjustable cheek piece. I hope that sales will allow Walther to bring them on, one day!
EDIT: Walther started some time ago to offer the standard wooden stock with an optional adjustable butt pad under the name LGU Master Pro......
However, I will certainly not throw my 97K to the side, in view of its overall handling abilities ! Because in everyday practice, I still grab it more often than either the TX or the LGU. Maybe the main reason is that the HW77 was my first quality springer.....
Certainly, it will interesting to see how Weihrauch will deal with a German Family Feud kicked up by Walther. Or have Walther with the LGU already lost it, for whatever reason ?
Hendrick-Otto
20 August 2020
Nice review, The LGU has been on my list of springers I'd like to get or at least try. I think part of the problem though is that I'm biased towards having a walnut stock. Something about a pretty stock.
Shot cycle sounds nice, my one complaint when I had a TX200 MK3 was the stroke felt long. LGU sounds like a nicer version of my BSA Superstar, great shot cycle but let down by the trigger.
no matter how good a rifle or pistol is, if they are not bought, they will stop stocking them
and that is what seems to be what has happen here in the states
Krale still has them still listed at fair prices
so if we don't buy them, for what ever reason, they will stop selling them and that is business
This is a great rifle clearly. Down to preference on AA, HW or Walther for most folks. Mine is extemely accurate. Something else is afoot though, even with the mediocre trigger, slightly nose heavy feel, and generic (ambi) comb, it's my go to gun. Why? Not sure but I'm guessing it's the butter smooth cocking, extremely pleasing shot cycle, satisfyingly quiet report, solid feel and obscene accuracy. It all adds up to a sum greater than the parts, a gun which calls out to me and begs to be shot. Even with a gorgeous and very very accurate AA ProSport in Walnut with a ridiculously good trigger and a very accurate barrel.... the LGU still gets the call 9 out of ten times. There's just something right about the whole package that draws me again and again. It has somehow found the "formula"... I cannot deny this rifle when it calls to be shot, simply a joy.
Enjoy
John
As an ADDENDUM to my review above, I plan to make a comparative listing of properties of the HW 97 K, the Air Arms TX 200 and the Umarex Walther LGU, also using a grade points evaluation approach. By this quantitative approach I hope to clarify my own subjective judgment only. In other words, even this way objectivity is hard to claim.
See a subsequent topic later to follew on this forum.
Hendrick